Friction type holder device



Nov. 13, 1962 J. R. HUBER FRICTION TYPE HOLDER DEVICE Filed Dec. 19,1960 INVENTOK (C/4M4 5 M ,q-rrokus Y atet 3,063,569 Patented Nov. 13,1962 3,063,569 FRICTION TYPE HOLDER DEVICE John Richard Huber, Holicong,Pa., assignor to Eastern Rotorcraft Corporation, Doylestown, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 76,767 2.Claims. (Cl. 21189) This invention relates to holder devices and is moreparticularly concerned with devices in which a friction medium is usedfor retention.

Devices of this general nature have been previously proposed. Suchprevious devices usually have a generally channel shaped frame with aflexible diaphragm incorporating fingers which are readily bent when theobject to be held is inserted. The fingers apply a pressure against theobject to hold it in place. An example of such a device is shown inGrondzik Patent 2,785,919, issued March 19, 1957. With devices of thisnature it has been found that when heavier objects are to be held thethickness of the diaphragm must be progressively increased. Otherwisethe fingers become too slender and the weight of the heavier objectcauses them to bend or buckle under the effect to the compressive actiondeveloped by the weight of the heavy object. Thus this construction isless desirable when it is desired to hold such heavy items as brooms,shovels or similar garden or kitchen equipment. It has been found thatgreatly improved holding action can be developed with relatively thindiaphragm material by constructing the device so that the diaphragm isanchored on each side of the frame with the cantilever portion of thediaphragm extending only halfway across the open side of the frame. Inthis way the free column length of the fingers is reduced to onehalf theprevious length with the result that the fingers can support a muchgreater weight without the tendency to bend and buckle. Such bucklingpermits the object to slip out of the holder device. The holding powerof this improved construction is further increased by the improvement infrictional characteristics since the object is now held by a goodfriction medium at both sides rather than on one side a in the previousconstruction.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provideimproved holding capacity in devices of the nature with which thepresent invention is concerned by supporting the holding medium so thatit is anchored at each side of the insertion opening of the framemember, thereby providing that the article being supported will be heldbetween the two resilient force supplying and engaging members.

A specific object of the invention is the provision of structure for adevice of the nature with which the present invention is concerned whichwill engage and support larger and heavier articles by means of a pairof relatively thin slotted diaphragm members, one supported on each sideof the frame member and extending toward each other to substantiallymeet. In this way the unsupported length of the fingers is reduced thusincreasing the weight which can be supported before collapsing action ofthe fingers occurs.

How the foregoing and other objects and advantages may be attained willbe clear by reference to the drawing in which FIGURE 1 is an elevationalview showing a typical application of the holder device of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmental isometric view to an enlarged scale showing thedetail construction of the holder device.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the device to an enlarged scale taken inthe direction of arrows 33, FIG- URE 1, and showing an article beingheld in position.

Referring to the drawing, FIGURE 1 shows a holder device 5 constructedaccording to the present invention holding various pieces of equipmentsuch as shovels 6 and 7, rakes 8 and 9, hedge shears 10 and broom 11.The holder device 5 may be supported on a suitable wall by means ofsuitable fasteners such as screws 12.

FIGURES 2 and 3 show the details of construction of the holder device 5.In the example illustrated the device consists of a generally channelshaped frame 511 having a forward surface 13 and a rearward surface 14.An upper surface 15 joins surfaces 13 and 14 to complete the channelsection.

Near the open side of the channel section along surfaces 13 and 14 aspecially shaped groove may be provided at each edge. This is shown asan elliptical shaped cavity or pocket 16 having a smaller area opening17 connecting the cavity with the inner side of the frame section. Asimilar pocket 16a and opening 17a are shown at the rear surface 14.

A holding diaphragm member 18 is supported in the forward cavity 16 anda rearward diaphragm member 1811 is supported in cavity 16a. Thethickness of the diaphragms 18, 18a is such that they will fit theopenings 17, 17a. The edge of the diaphragm 18 is provided with enlargedridge or bulbous portion 19 of suitable dimensions so that it will fitinside the cavity 16. Diaphragm 18a is similarly constructed withenlarged edge 1911. With this construction each diaphragm may be slidinto position in the retaining groove 1617 and will be securely anchoredto the edge of the frame opening so that diaphragms 18 and 18a extendtoward each other and substantially meet near the middle of the opening.A series of slits 20 in the diaphragms 18 and 18a produce fingers 21which are movable individually. The slits 20 preferably do not extendthrough the edge portion 19 of the diaphragm structure so that thediaphragm may still be handled in one piece to simplify assemblyoperations.

The back surface 14 may have suitable extension flanges as shown at 22and 23 to accommodate holes 24 for insertion of fasteners or screws 12.

Referring to FIGURE 3 it will be seen that rake handle 8a is shown inposition in the holder 5. The various fingers 21 from the diaphragms 18and 18a have been forced upwardly to different positions and hold therake handle 8a between the opposing fingers from diaphragm 18 and 18a.Thus the handle 8a is retained centrally in the opening of the frame 5aby therelatively short stiff fingers 21. The diaphragms are preferablymade from rubber or artificial rubber having good frictionalcharacteristics.

From the foregoing it will be clear that I have provided an improvedholder device of the diaphragm type which is capable of adequatelyretaining much greater loads than previous constructions of frictiontype holders. By providing the oppositely mounted diaphragms with theedges securely held along the sides of the frame opening the length ofthe unsupported portion of the diaphragm is reduced to approximatelyone-half the normal length. With this construction, for the samethickness of diaphragm, the fingers will have greatly increased bendingresistance and thus much greater weight can be retained before thefingers tend to buckle. The centralizing of the supported member and theapplication of good frictional material at both sides of the articlefurther enhances the holding power of this improved device.

I claim:

1. For a holder device, an extruded frame having a channel shape withtwo generally opposite sides joined by a third side, said frame havingan open side between said opposite sides, an inwardly extending bulbousflange at the edge of each of the opposite sides, each of said bulbousflanges incorporating an integrally formed elongated cavity having aninwardly directed slot extending along the length of each bulbous flangenear the open side of the frame and an external flange extending alongone corner of said frame adjacent one of said opposite sides and saidthird side. 7

2. A holder device for retaining articles during storage, said devicehaving an elongated frame having two generally opposite sides joined byan interconnecting member, said frame having an open side between saidopposite sides, an inwardly directed bulbous flange having an integrallyformed elongated cavity extending along each of the opposite sides nearthe open side of the frame and a closure diaphragm consisting of twoseparate strips of flexible, rubber-like material, each of said stripshaving a bulbous edge portion proportioned to be supported in one ofsaid elongated cavities, each of said strips further having a series oftransverse parallel slits extending from 4 the unsupported edge to apoint close to the bulbous edge portion to form a series of parallelelongated fingers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,958,772 Stewart May 15, 1934 7 1,992,857 Breedlove Feb. 26, 19352,471,680 Gibson May 31, 1949' 2,725,147 Vogler Nov. 29, 1955 2,785,919Grondzik Mar. 19, 1957 2,956,687 Robichaud Oct. 18, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS250,056 Switzerland May 18, 1948 491,967 Canada April 14, 1953

